Chapter 121
What We Wanted
Jesse walked out into the hall.
She'd just spent a few hours with Cameron. It was a few hours she would never forget.
Jesse felt happy but sad at the same time.
She reflected on what just happened….
She knew she needed to find Vanna and Allison and talk about it. Not talk - confess.
Derek was on a strike mission with Bob and the two female Terminators. They were now known as Gail and Holly. He wanted to bring Riley for additional training but John vetoed that idea. He did not want any complications on the mission. He assured him there would not be any. John told him to wait until the next time when Cameron and he would be on the mission as well.
He was very uncomfortable working with Terminators at first in the future but not anymore. In this timeline he didn't have any problems whatsoever. The Terminators were all professionals. They knew what they wanted to do and they did it. He saw the Terminators and the humans all looked up to Cameron. She was the glue that seemed to make everything work smoothly. He knew when Cameron was 'away' that things were never the same.
In his future Cameron was there personally to help and save Kyle and him on several occasions. At the time he did not know why but Cameron, Bob and Jim, all of them were really 'Cameron' at that time, were always there when needed. After John and Cameron went into the past Mrs. Weaver herself or a group of her Restorators would always go with them on strikes. They were never without Metal once Cameron went back.
When they finished up on the operation they'd been conducting, Mrs. Weaver was ready to send them back to the past to assist John. Derek still needed to tie up some loose ends so Kyle went back ahead of him. Mrs. Weaver sent a large strike force to pull them out of harms way when they encountered heavy Skynet resistance. A lot of Metal was terminated on both sides during that campaign. Several Terminators perished protecting Kyle and himself personally. He did not understand why at the time. It was because Kyle was John's father. They did not know Sarah waited a lifetime for Kyle. They never knew that was what she was waiting for.
On this operation Gail and Holly were in some type of competition to prove which one of them was 'better'. In combat both of them were outstanding. They even impressed Bob. What was even stranger was an argument they had about Cameron. They both agreed Cameron was 'defective' and needed to be replaced as John's protector. It was almost funny how each argued why they should be 'Cameron's replacement'. They even argued about their looks. This was some type of programming in them which did not show up during their chip review.
Bob called Derek aside and pointed out that the female infiltration units were all very emotion driven and exhibited irrational behavior as compared to the standard male Terminators.
Derek did not think now was a good time to point out human females and males exhibited the same type of behavior on occasion too. They actually did it a lot.
Bob listen to their argument with Derek.
"It is hard to believe but they actually both really like each other and either would face termination to save the other." Bob said.
Derek wondered how far Bob would go to protect another Terminator.
"What about you?" Derek asked Bob.
Bob felt he'd evolved since he first was activated.
"At this point in time I would as well. We have all been keen observers of Cameron and she takes care of everybody." Bob said. "She has personally instilled the desire for additional programming directives in each of us to be better machines, to be better 'people'."
Derek felt he'd evolved quite a bit too.
"I can honestly say it's working." Derek said. "It is hard to see any of you as 'machines' and not as 'people' as our equals."
Derek did not think the machines would ever see humans as their equals. He could understand that though. For combat, Metal was hard to beat.
Bob smiled at Derek. He liked what he said.
"Thank you, that really means a lot to me." Bob said.
Derek was ready to act.
"Let's go kick some Skynet rear ends." Derek said.
Derek looked at the two females now ready for action.
"Ladies, are you ready?" Derek asked.
"Affirmative." They both replied.
Well, almost 'people', Derek thought. He still liked to hear them say that.
John ran a thousand ideas through is mind. There did not seem to be an answer or a solution. Cameron was 'lost' in her own world right now. He knew if he pushed too hard that she would shut him out. He would only further drive her away.
He gathered himself and headed back to his room. It was time to face the music.
John entered the room.
Cameron looked away when she saw it was John.
"Are you any better, Cameron?" John asked.
"No." Cameron said.
Cameron still lay naked on the bed.
John noticed that the bed was thoroughly messed up. He wondered why but didn't ask. He wanted to offer her an incentive to do something different other than 'use' the bed.
"Do you want to get dressed? We can go out." John said.
Cameron wondered why John forgot her 'new function' already.
"No, I never plan to wear clothes again." Cameron said. "This is my only function. Are you here for a piece of chassis?"
Her attitude upset John. It was rude and irritating.
"Why would you even think that?" John asked. "I have NEVER treated you like that or disrespected you. I was even able to avoid your 'match making' efforts."
Cameron could think of a few times when John 'disrespected' her. It seemed he forgot about Riley – Future Riley and the time he believed he was with Allison. Then there was that 'Almost Cameron' Liquid Metal Thing.
"You thought I was Allison, even if you wished it was me." Cameron said. "You wanted to do it with her then. Thinking it is the same as doing it."
John did not think actions were the same as 'thinking' about it.
"Not really." John said.
Cameron did not like the challenge.
"It is." Cameron said.
John still felt the need to defend himself.
"No, it is not. One is real, the other is not. Thinking or dreaming is NOT the same as doing it." John said.
Cameron did not want to let it go.
"It should be." Cameron said.
John could see the argument was the 'road to nowhere'.
"So you've just stayed there in bed like that all day?" John asked.
Cameron did not want to expand on her answer.
"I changed my position a few times." Cameron said.
John wondered how long this new round of folly was going to last.
"How long are you going to lay there?" John asked.
Cameron was irritated by John hassling her.
"Until my power cell runs out or I am terminated." Cameron said.
John could see that was ridiculous. That would be years if not decades.
"So basically forever then?" John asked.
Cameron felt like a 'sex slave'. She felt she was a depository for John's essence and his pleasure.
"Yes." Cameron said. "I am nothing more than a mechanical 'love doll'.
She spread herself out some.
"Have at it." Cameron said.
John ignored her statement and moved to the bed. He lay beside her.
"I am tired." John said.
"I am not." Cameron said.
"I am." John said.
Cameron was frustrated that John did not want her.
"John, don't you 'want' me?" Cameron asked.
"Yes." John said.
Cameron offered herself to John again.
"Well?" Cameron asked.
John did not want to encourage Cameron's irrational behavior.
"I told you not like 'this'." John said.
Cameron could see that John was not going to partake in her 'charms'. Maybe he was telling the truth. She would need to scan him.
"So you really do love me for more than 'this'?" Cameron asked.
John did not think he'd ever treated Cameron like a 'sperm bank'.
"Yes, you KNOW that." John said.
Cameron was not sure what to do now. Things were different for her. She felt the need to 'experiment' and had each of the girls 'come' to see her. She was sure that they would open her eyes to a different type of love and maybe teach her a few things.
Since they'd spared over 'thinking' and 'doing' something it was time for some further revelation. Cameron was not ashamed over what she'd done by seeking 'assistance' from the three girls. She would throw it out there and let John know. The ball would be in his court then.
"John, I am a 'Bitch Whore' now…." Cameron said.
John wondered where this new line of thought was headed. He did notice Cameron looked uneasy.
"Because?" John asked.
Cameron found the words difficult to express. She knew what she wanted to say but just couldn't. She would get out what she wanted to say in steps.
"I have done something 'terrible' to you." Cameron said.
Cameron rolled onto her side to face John.
John looked at her. Her face showed great pain and anguish.
"John, I… I…." Cameron started.
Cameron burst into tears and hugged John.
John was worried now.
"Go on." John said. "I love you no matter what."
That statement made Cameron cry a little harder.
"John, I was with three people here today…." Cameron said. "They were here for sex. I invited them to share with me."
There, she said it. Cameron felt relieved to have come clean. It wasn't so hard.
"I still love you anyway." John said.
Cameron felt it wasn't really different than what John had done previously.
Jesse desperately needed to find Allison or Vanna, both of them would be better. They were not in the lab. She wondered why they weren't. She headed for their room next. That was where they were.
Jesse found Vanna and Allison alone and crying. They saw the look on Jesse's face and the tears in her eyes.
They all silently looked at each other. They knew.
"You too?" Allison asked.
Jesse could see they looked a guilty as she felt.
"Yes, all three of us?" Jesse asked.
"Yes." Vanna said.
The girls all hugged and cried. What was there to say or do at this point? What was done was done. They all loved Cameron and wanted to be with her. That was why they'd all followed her to what was to be certain termination for all of them. The purpose was to share with Cameron. The goal was to make love to Cameron.
They were all aware of what they wanted and what each of them wanted for that matter. They'd even discussed it at times.
"It was what we all wanted." Allison sobbed.
To be with Cameron was Jesse's dream. She would have rather died than been without Cameron. She stood next to Cameron when she was going to detonate the Thermite grenade. She chose to terminate with Cameron and not abandon her.
"I never wanted anything in my life so much." Jesse said.
It was Vanna's dream from the start to have a love relationship with Cameron. It was within her grasp at one point. It really looked like it was going to happen. They were so close that she could almost taste it.
"I know it was my dream 'come true'." Vanna cried.
The three of them had been there. They all 'came' for Cameron when she called them in her time of 'need'. Each of them found the thing they most wanted in life waiting for them. It was Cameron naked in bed calling to them and telling them she wanted to be with them.
How could they walk away from that? Could anyone have turned her down with an offer like that? They did not think what happen was wrong in any way. It WAS what they all WANTED.
Allison was unsettled. She felt something more needed to be done. She was not sure what.
"What are we going to do now?" Allison asked.
Vanna wondered about the aftermath herself. How do you follow that act? Where does it go? Where do they go? What happens next?
"I don't know." Vanna said.
Jesse thought the best way to deal with it was to go back as a group. That would be something to make a 'statement'. It would be the three of them and Cameron together.
"Maybe we should go back together." Jesse said.
They all looked at each other and nodded. This was not over yet.
It WAS what all three of them wanted.
There was much more to explore there.
John Henry monitored the security feeds. He was highly distressed at what he witnessed at Cameron's room throughout the day. It was not his place to interfere. Cameron made some 'choices'. Maybe John was right when he said people make bad choices too.
He was sure he'd just witnessed three bad choices. As each girl left he saw them straighten their clothes before they moved on. He was unsure what happened in the room but it sure looked like something happened. They were all in there long enough to share with Cameron one on one.
He was not going to mention this to John. He wanted no part of it. There was going to be fallout over this.
In fact, he didn't even want to know what he knew. It was time for him to make a choice and act.
John Henry deleted the security files and those from his memory for the day.
Later on he looked at the security feeds. He wondered what he was looking for. He could not remember.
Somehow he thought that that was a good thing….
What It Was
One on their own
Can change the rules
Then those who did not
Are the ones who become the fools
Things can happen quickly
In the blink of an eye
Leaving one abandoned
Left all alone to cry
What makes it worse
Is when it's done in one's face
Grind in the pain
Rub in the disgrace
The reality check comes
For what one took for granted
It has broken into sand
What once was as solid as granite
What it now is
Because of what one does
Is no longer the same as
What it was
Nobody